The Hindu : Sport / Football : Sudden death decides HASC, BEML (Earth Movers) semifinals

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Sudden death decides HASC, BEML (Earth Movers) semifinals

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Sudden death goals decided both HASC and BEML’s (Earth Movers) progress into the final of the Puttaiah Memorial football tournament. In the semifinals played at the Football Stadium here on Friday, BEML scrapped through 5-4 against MEG while fancied HASC prevailed 6-5 after being held 1-1 in regulation time by a gritty ASC.

HASC survived a barrage of raids in the final minutes to hold on for a 1-1 draw. Fredrick, its most productive recruit, struck in the 28th minute off a Bimal Minz cross from right.

But with sustained pressure in the second half ASC struck through A. Ramesh in the 69th. Earlier Ramesh and Ramachandran had failed to beat goalkeeper Gumpe Rime under the HASC citadel.

Xavier Vijaykumar failed first in the penalty shoot-out, his effort saved by ASC goalkeeper Santhanukar.

Then Murali, Prakash, Alesh and Rajendra Prasad converted to take the match into sudden death where Fredrick was again on target.

ASC, which escaped a couple of bookings for desperate fouls, got its goals through Ramesh, Thirunavakarasu, Rakesh and Raghu Kumar. Kiran shot the first kick wide while Gopal Sahu hit the cross-piece in the sudden death.

Earlier, BEML and MEG were involved in a keen contest with neither team giving anything away in the defence.

After a barren regulation period and being 4-4 at the end of penalty-kicks, BEML got the winner through Tikken Singh while Ajiraj shot wide for MEG.

In the penalty shoot-out Kalandhar, Abdulla Hamza, Kathik and Obinna Winners struck for the Earth Movers while Nigilraj, Gurumurthy, Ramu and Shiyad converted for MEG and Lokeshwar Singh shot wide.

Saturday is a rest day and HASC will take on BEML (EM) in the final on Sunday at 4 p.m. The entire gate collections for the final would be handed over to the late Mr. Shanmugham’s family by the BDFA committee. And on Sunday, passes will not be valid and entry is strictly based on the purchase of tickets.

The results: BEML 5 (Tikken Singh, Kalandhar, Abdulla Hamza, Kathik and Obinna Winners) bt MEG 4 (Nigilraj, Gurumurthy, Ramu and Shiyad); HASC 6 (Fredrick 2, Murali, Prakash, Alesh, Rajendra Prasad) bt ASC 5 (Ramesh 2, Thirunavakarasu, Rakesh and Raghu Kumar).

Tergat for 10K run

Paul Tergat, the five-time World cross country champion from Kenya, figures in the list of prominent runners for the Sunfeast World 10K run slated for May 18 in the City.

“The World’s richest 10K run is gaining momentum with registrations in full swing,” Vivek Singh of Procam, the event organisers, said.

Bangalore is slated as the future destination for “bigger” events was evident from the fact that the Association of Marathons and Distance Running (AIMS) is here in full strength for its bi-annual board meeting.

Present at the unveiling of the Sunfeast 10k run route was Hiroaki Chosa, President, AIMS, and a host of high ranking board member including the AIMS secretary and race director, Hugh Jones.

K.R. Srinivasan, DGP, unveiled the route map and promised the organisers and the promoters, Procam, all help from the police and the Government.

Also in the list of runners are Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadesse, Moses Ndiema Kipsiro (Uganda), Mubarak Hassan Shami (Qatar) and Gemechu Kebede from Ethiopia amongst men, while Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse, a three-time European 10,000m champion with a personal best of 30:21.67s, and Dire Tune (Ethiopia) have already entered for the women’s section. — Special Correspondent

It’s Nagaraj vs. Ranganath

R.A. Nagaraj set up a title clash with V.T. Ranganath in the plus-45 singles of the GVK all-India veterans’ tennis championship at the Bowring Institute courts here on Friday.

The results (semifinals):

plus 45 singles: R.A. Nagaraj bt Sudarshan Rao (AP) 6-2, 7-6(5); V.T. Ranganath bt V. Shankar 7-6(3), 7-6(4).

Plus 55 singles: Arvinder Chetwal bt S. Settu 6-1, 7-5; R.I. Singh bt R. Rao 6-0, 6-0.